"
"Would it were less, frequent!" exclaimed the Signore Soranzo, in
perfect sincerity.
"Would it were, indeed! There are hints in our secret information, which
tend to confirm the charge of Jacopo, though long experience has taught
us to put full faith in his reports."
"How! Is Jacopo, then, an agent of the police!"
"Of that more at our leisure, Signor Soranzo. At present we must look to
this attempt on the life of one protected by our laws."
The Three then entered into a serious discussion of the case of the two
delinquents. Venice, like all despotic governments, had the merit of
great efficiency in its criminal police, when it was disposed to exert
it. Justice was sure enough in those instances in which the interests of
the government itself were not involved, or in which bribery could not
well be used. As to the latter, through the jealousy of the state, and
the constant agency of those who were removed from temptation, by being
already in possession of a monopoly of benefits, it was by no means as
frequent as in some other communities in which the affluent were less
interested. The Signor Soranzo had now a fair occasion for the exercise
of his generous feelings. Though related to the house of Gradenigo, he
was not backward in decrying the conduct of its heir. His first impulses
were to make a terrible example of the accused, and to show the world
that no station brought with it, in Venice, impunity for crime.
Pages:
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499